Words Get In The Way
by karazorel
Summary: My first Castle fan fic. What happened when Martha called Beckett to tell her Castle has said he loved his mother? My take on the missing scenes and possible show of emotion on Beckett's part. One-shot. Edited to reflect a neglected character scene.


**DISCLAIMER:** The characters contained herein remain the property of ABC Productions. The story contained is meant only for personal enjoyment and no money is being made from the story. No infringement is intended. I offer this fan fiction as a tribute to the creative teams involved in the actual production of the show However, I reserve the right to any original characters I create for the purpose of fan fiction story telling.

Beckett had just stepped into the elevator with Capt. Montgomery, ready to call it a night after finally nabbing the 3XK serial killer. Tired as she was, she felt like her night was incomplete and she knew exactly why. Castle had not come back from the hospital. It wasn't like him to not come back to the precint to see her off for the night, nor was he the kind to simply go home without even calling to let her know. As the elevator doors closed, she fought the urge to take out her phone and drop him a line.

"Excellent work Det. Beckett. You and Castle make a wonderful team. " the captain commended his top homicide detective and her unofficial partner.

"Thanks captain. This time though, it was a team effort. Castle and I, we work as a team but we can only do so much together. We all carried our own weight this time. " she responded as the elevator door opened on the basement parking level of the precint.

Capt. Montgomery had walked on ahead of her as she fumbled with her bag for her car keys. He could not help but smile at the thought that Beckett and Castle were finally hitting their stride and getting along. He knew that deep down, behind all the teasing and ear pinching, nose pulling, and irritation that Beckett displayed infront of everyone, she held Castle in a special place within her.

She had just unlocked the driver's side when her mobile phone started ringing. Beckett held back a smile at the thought that Castle had remembered to call her no matter where he was. Taking the phone out of her coat pocket, she was surprised to see the name on the caller ID. Martha Rodgers. Why would Castle's mom be calling her?

"Hi Martha."

"Kate dear, I am so sorry to call you at this odd hour but I was just wondering if my hyper active son is with you at the moment?"

"No. He left earlier with Ryan. They went to check on a suspect at the Gramercy Medical." A sudden sense of foreboding came over her. "What's wrong Martha?"

"I don't know darling. That's what worries me. I had called him up about 10 minutes ago and he said the strangest thing."

"What did he say?" she felt a cold wave come over her body.

"He said, "I love you." and then hung up on me." Martha's voice now carried a sense of worry for her son. "I tried calling him again but his phone seems to be turned off."

"How is that strange?" Beckett asked. She still had a lot to learn about the Castle family dynamic.

"Kate, there have been only 2 instances when my son has ever said that he loved me. In both instances he needed me to bail him out of some sort of corner he had painted himself into. Now, I know that my son is already a somewhat grown and intermittently mature individual, but all mothers just seem to know these things." Martha tried to pass her voice off as non chalant but Beckett had enough training to read between the lines. She was a mother worried about the welfare of her son.

"I'll track him down Martha. Don't worry. I'll be in touch." she locked up the car and made her way back to the elevator.

"Something wrong detective?" Capt. Montgomery had been parked 2 cars down from her and had overheard her part of the conversation.

"It's Castle. Something's wrong." there was an unmistakable urgency in both her voice and steps. Together, they went back to the precint to try and trace Castle's whereabouts.

"Beckett slow down! You're gonna get us killed!" Esposito shouted as she took a sharp turn heading towards Nathan's Inn. After talking to Martha, Beckett looked over all of the evidence that she had on the board and tried to think of anything she may have missed. If Castle was in trouble, it could only be related to the case they were working. It took all of 15 minutes for her to realize that she had sent Castle and Ryan straight into the clutches of the real 3XK killer. Capt. Montgomery had the attack squad in place in 10 minutes.

"No! I can't slow down! I have to get to Castle! He could be in danger, hurt, even -" she dared not say what she feared the most.

"Well driving like a mad-woman isn't going to help him." it was only then that Esposito noticed something that no one had ever seen this strong willed woman do. "Are you crying?"

"What?" she touched her right cheek and felt it wet. "No, I am not crying. " she kept her voice firm but her facial expression betrayed her.

"You love him don't you?" Esposito asked. He had never seen Beckett so vulnerable before. He wished that he knew something he could to help her. Oh sure, there was something he could do, make sure they got Castle alive.

"What? No! Why would you say that?" she denied vehemently.

"Beckett, it's okay. Everybody knows. We were all just waiting for you to admit it to yourself and to each other."

"He can't die on me Esposito! If anything happens to him... It's all my fault, I let him go with Ryan. Why did I send them out? This is all on my shoulders!" she was getting mor efrantic by the minute.

"Beckett..."

"I love him Esposito! He drives me up the wall, he kills my patience, half the time I feel like a baby sitter but it's all worth it to have him by my side... to have him bring me my coffee and bear claw every morning..."

"Tell him Kate."

"I can't. Not now, not ever."

"Why punish yourself?"

"Because! Because I want him to be my one and done. But I don't know if I will be his "done" girl." She knew that she would not survive having Rick Castle and then losing him because he had tired of her. No, she was willing to be his muse and his work wife, if that is what it took to keep him by her side in a semblance of any relationship that could be possible between them for as long as it would last.

She slammed hard on the brakes and jumped out of the car. Fighting back the tears that refused to remain hidden. Adrenalin was pumping through her system as she jumped the steps leading to the hotel room where she knew he was. Without a thought for her personal safety, without any back up, she kicked the door in.

"Castle!" she prayed hard that he would respond. _"Please let him be alright. Please let him come home to me." _

"Clear! He's not here. Officer down." Castle motioned with his head towards the handcuffed Det. Ryan lying not too far away from him.

Relief swept over her as she heard the voice of the man who owned her entire being. He was alright. She flashed the light unto him. He looked disheveled but not injured. She bent over to undo his bindings.

"I am so glad you're okay." she whispered breathlessly to him. Fighting the urge to hug him tightly and take his lips unto her own.

Ryan's partner rushed to his side to check on his injuries. It was nothing serious but it still needed to be check out. Basically, Ryan just seemed to have gotten the wind knocked out of him. Overhearing what Beckett had just whispered a little too loudly, Esposito threw her a look that said he understood. Her secret was safe with him.

"I'll get Ryan to the ambulance." he carried his partner out of the room. "I'll send someone down to check on Castle." He offered in a low voice to Beckett who nodded in agreement. Esposito was going to give them some time alone before they had to go back to their pretend world of bickering and irritation.

Castle weakly sank into Beckett's arms as he came free of his binds. He knew Beckett would come for him. She always would. Just like he would always come to her. That was how they loved each other. They never had to say it, they just felt it. They just knew it. For now, words would still be in the way of these two destined lovers.


End file.
